I have a general question about professionalism. Say I'm not a Savvy person at coding html/css. I wanted to create a professional looking website on say a site like Squarespace or Virb that uses a CMS design to help me create my site. The thing I am concerned about is they don't offer email services. I was wondering if it would be unprofessional to use say a gmail or some other free email service instead? My professors always inferred it would be unprofessional and keep me from most likely not getting a job because I didn't have my own person email using my domain name. Is this true? Are there any recruiters or professionals who would like to comment on this? I'm just curious because it was so heavily implied at my school.

Glad to know that this will not hinder me from getting a job. I don't have an embarrassing email but I think I will create another one just as a professional contact that's easy to remember. Thanks for the reply.

On the other hand, a dot com at godaddy is just less than 10 buck, per year. That is enough to have a re-direction to your email address and also a redirection to your portfolio website (even if it on free portfolio hosting sites). I think it worth it if it give you extra professionalism.

Word of advice: email account (free ones) and the companies comes and go. Specially in the old days. Nothing is more sad than to hear it close down. So your email address can go kaput in a short order.

If you want to work for a studio, the gmail adress is perfectly fine. I would even argue that it's better than your own domain, because having your own domain makes you look like you want to start your own business. That's something that makes you not exactly appear attractive from the perspective of a studio that is hiring you.
On the other hand, if you're freelancing and want to look like serious business, as opposed to single guy in bedroom, then it's certainly helping to have a website, business cards and all this stuff.

Originally Posted by plastic:If you want to work for a studio, the gmail adress is perfectly fine. I would even argue that it's better than your own domain, because having your own domain makes you look like you want to start your own business. That's something that makes you not exactly appear attractive from the perspective of a studio that is hiring you.
On the other hand, if you're freelancing and want to look like serious business, as opposed to single guy in bedroom, then it's certainly helping to have a website, business cards and all this stuff.

You are right. But only if the name is business like. But if you use a variation of your name, it still sound personal (and not like businesslike) and still have the added advantage of redirection. Both email and portfolio page (specially portfolio page, you WILL change free hosting based on the latest portfolio capabilities).

Originally Posted by grrinc:If I ever went pro, I would avoid gmail like the plague.

Edit - Apologies. I am quite anti Google for a number of reasons. Forgive my paranoia.

Uh, so you are anti google. I respect that.

But to be frank, Google and Hotmail(or known as Outlook now) is A-OK for business. The reason is:

Hotmail/Outlook is backed by Microsoft. And business use Microsoft product. So they view Hotmail in the same respect.

Google have Google app (paid) that business use. There are also (if I understand correctly) ability to implement gmail under google app as your company/business email. So people respect that too, as Google is synonim with business. You can also uses Apple mail, since they are also respected company.

Other than that, you are on your own. But mostly, have a good portfolio.

Originally Posted by revolvermd: My professors always inferred it would be unprofessional and keep me from most likely not getting a job because I didn't have my own person email using my domain name. Is this true? Are there any recruiters or professionals who would like to comment on this? I'm just curious because it was so heavily implied at my school.

As is sadly so often the case, your instructors don't know what the hell they're talking about. Let's face it, most instructors have never even worked in the industry and when that's the case, take anything they say with a pinch of salt. Or, better yet, only choose schools where the instructors actually do have extensive industry experience.

It blows my mind how someone in such a position can mislead their students with such ignorant garbage.

Originally Posted by DanHibiki:Gmail is ok, but any hotmail and yahoo e-mail address just get instantly trashed by most web security tools.

Well my original post about Gmail was security related but I didn't want my OTT anti Google rants to derail thread. Essentially, an IT friend of mine works for a company that does not deal with gmail in anyway due it's failure to meet some security requirements. Gmail emails never reach the building, nor get sent too.

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